Re: Expectations of Email Etiquette

Dear Students,

Email is one of the most common means of textual communication in the professional world, and it requires a higher degree of etiquette than social media or text messaging. Over the past few years I have received many emails from students that were written in an unprofessional manner. As a professor I feel a responsibility to prepare my students for the professional world, so I have decided to implement an official policy on email etiquette in all of my courses. If I receive an email from a student that I deem to be problematic in some way, I will send a link to this message and request revision. Please adhere to the following standards of etiquette when corresponding with me by email this semester:

– Please use a subject line that is meaningful and relevant to your message.

– Please begin your message by addressing me directly. When I receive an email from a student, I expect something to the effect of “Dear Professor” or “Hello Professor”. When a message is missing this crucial element it can seem impolite. Launching immediately into the body of your message, or beginning simply with “Hey,” or “Hi,” is not up to professional standards.

– Before sending, please re-read and edit your message to ensure that it is clearly written and grammatically correct.

– Emails should end with a closing of some kind. It is suitable to end your messages with “Thanks” and your name, or “Sincerely” and your name, or if you’re in a hurry, at least include your first name or initials to indicate the conclusion of your message.

Thanks in advance for adhering to these guidelines.

Best regards,
Professor Meiser

–

Joe Meiser
Assistant Professor of Art in Sculpture
Department of Art & Art History
Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA 17837
studio phone: 570.577.3044
website: http://www.joemeiser.com